# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion on DIY Microfluidics

• Participants explored DIY microfluidics techniques using common materials, testing human hair (which failed due to vibration and ink attraction issues), paperclips, and fingernails as tools for creating microchannels by scraping Sharpie markings on glass slides.

• The group discussed dimensional constraints of microfluidic channels, noting human hair averages 80μm (ranging from 18-180μm) compared to the 10μm transistor width of early microprocessors, establishing practical size references for their DIY work.

• A key technical insight emerged that microfluidic channels initially required patterns on both sides of a sandwich configuration, though later experiments with CD polycarbonate (as a hydrophobic surface) paired with glass slides enabled successful one-sided patterns.

• Participants shared academic resources, including a paper on "Performing chemical reactions in virtual capillary of surface tension-confined microfluidic devices" that demonstrated using Sharpies, nail polish and glass surfaces to create hydrophobic/hydrophilic boundaries.

• The discussion included consideration of micro CNC actuators for precision work, with piezo actuators noted as prohibitively expensive ("call to see prices" level), highlighting cost barriers to more sophisticated DIY approaches.

• A neuroengineering rehabilitation research paper was shared (http://www.jneuroengrehab.com/content/pdf/1743-0003-6-7.pdf), suggesting connections between the microfluidics work and potential applications in neural or brain-computer interface technologies.